Engine starter



March 19, 1929. w, L, .MCGRATH 1,705,939

ENGINE STARTER Filed July 15, 1927 2 Sheets-sheet l fo Q94 March 19,1929. w. 1 MCGRATH ENGINE STARTER Filed July l5, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Mar; 19; 1929.

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ENGINE STARTER.

Application led July 15,

`My invention relates to engine starting apparatus for the starting ofinternal combustion engines, more particularly but not necessarilyautomobileeng'ines, and the object thereof is to provide a simple,eflicient, and reliable apparatus characterized by a drlve of the manualshift type composed of'a driving member or pinion adapted to engage amember of the .engine to be started, such lo as a flywheel, a controlmember or nut thread-` ed upon a longitudinally movable sleeve andhaving a friction clutch interposed between the driving memberandcontrol member, and further characterized by the revision of novel meansfor shifting the rive proper longitudinally to bring the driving memberinto engagement with the engine member and ,also means which isextraneous to the drive proper and which is actuated by said shiftingmeans for slightly rotating such drive, more particularly the drivingmember 1n the event of abutting of the driving member and engine member.

In the drawings Figure 1 is an elevation vpartly in section of an enginestarting'apparatus embodying my invention; Fig. 2 a section of the driveproper and shifting means; p y i l Fig' an end elevation of the driveproper; Fig. 4 a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 an endelevation of one of the shifter sleeves;

Fig. 6 a side elevation of I such shifter sleeve; Fig. 7 a section ofthe control member or nut taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 8; Fig'. 8 anend view of such nut; A j Fig. 9 an elevation of the screw shaft orsleeve alone; p Y E ig. 10 an end elevation thereof and Fig. 11 an endelevation of the nut and its disk. y

Referring to the particular embodiment of my invention as herein shownand selected r for the purposes of a clear anddefinite description, theprime mover is in the form of an electric motor 1 and as the particularconstruction'herein shown is the so-called direct drive, the rotatabledriving shaft 2 for the drive comprises the extended armature shaftofthemotor. A casingor bracket 3 extends from the frame of themotor and atits outer end, the same is provi'ded with a bearing 4 for the outer endof such shaft 2.

192'?. Serial No. 205,899.

This casing also forms a support for a shifting lever 5 which is pivotedto such casing or bracket at 6 and which extends n ing with its lowerend 7 in a vposition to engage the shifting means. hereinafterdescribed. This lever 5 is provided with an angular arm 8 which in itsoscillating travel in a clockwise direction is adapted to contact andoperate the button 9 wise shown of tlieelectric motor for supplying suchmotor with current and cutting it ott therefrom. rlhis lever 5 isadapted to be manually or pedally operated by the operator throughsuitable linkage or `operating connections which are of the usualcharacter and therefore not required tobe shown, except that one of therods 10 thereof is .illustrated` in Fig. 1. The term manually will behereinafter employed generically to include pedal operation, as well asmanual operation. This casing 3 is secured to the frame of the electricmotor in a suitable manner as by means of the screws 11.

The drive proper is an assembly together with the shifting means, andthel same is adapted to be slipped upon the driving shaft 2 before thecasing 3 is applied and secured to the motor, and such drive is somounted int'o the casof a switch not otheras to slide upon such shaftand to be driven thereby.

The drive proper comprises a sleeve 12 which is mounted upon the shaft 2:tor longitudinal movementthereof and rotary movement therewith, suchresult being accomplished in the present instance by means of thesplines 13 on the shaft 2 and the corresponding grooves 14 in the boreof the sleeve 12. This sleeve is .provi ed at its outer-or left-hand endwith suitable stop means which is here in the form of a nut 15 screwingu'pon the end thereof and secured rmly thereto. The sleeve is providedwith a screw threaded portion ldcomposed of shortlead threads and at itsinner orright-hand end it has an lenlarged shell extension 17 providedwith adapted lwhen shifted longitudinally to the left to engage theengine member which is here in the form of a flywheel 20 havingperipheral teeth 21 'for engagement with the pinion 18.

The control member is in the form ot a nut 22 which is threaded upon thescrew 'threaded portion 16 oit the sleeve 12 `and the same is providedat Aits lett-hand end with a cupshaped disk rllhese two parts are madeseparate, but are suitabl"v and lirmly Vsecured together. A lighttorsion spring 24 encircles the nut 22. and the sleeve l2 and the sameis 'fastened at its opposite ends to such nut and sleeve respectively.

Between the pinion 18 and nut and operv atively connected with both ofthem, there is positioned a iiriction clutch which is composed of twosets o'l: plates 25 and 26, the lorn'iei' set being splined to a hubextension ol'the pinion and the other set to the longitudinallyextending portion ot the disk Q3 oit the nut. A ring 27 is preferablyinterposed between the disk Q3 and the first of the clutch plates 26.Suitable means are provided Vlor Iretaining the clutch assembly upon thepiirn ion, and as shown, a spring ring or ivire t'is employed, the samebase oi two of the outermost plates 26 at the righbhand end o'l theclutch plates and engagging an inner groove in the hub extension ot thepinion. A. shell Q9 encloses the clutch plates and the same` is heldastened'to the disk Q3 in a suitable manner as by means ot a spring`ring or wire 30. linasmuch as all the lclutch plates, except the plate25 adjacent the pinion teeth and the member QB are held together by thisshell 29, the entire clutch assembly will be retained upon the pinion nomatter where the ring Q8 may be located longitudinally, so long as it isbehind the second clutch plate, and, as shown, it is behind the fourthinner clutch plate 2t telerri-ng to the means for shifting the drivelongitudinally and also partially rotatiner the same, the same comprisein the present instance two eooperatingA sleeves, such as tho shilitersleeve 'l and-an intermediate sleeve- ?ii. 'lh-e sleeve. 3l is providedwith parallel flanges 3?) between which the inner end T ot the shiftinglever 5 operates and by which it is operatively connected with thesleeve ill. 'this latter sleeve has a pin and inclined slot. connectionwith the sleeve 32, the pins beinter located in the sleeve 3l andtheslots 235 being located in the sleeve 32, whereby the sleeve 32 canpartake of both a longitudinal and an enforced rotary movement ashereinafter explained. rlhese pins 'lllalso -pass through thelongitudinal slots 1T in the eX- tension 17 ot the screw' sleeve, uponwhose periphery the sleeve 82 is mounted to slide.

A springf retainer in the lorm ot a shell B6 is connected with thelett-hand end ofthe sleeve 32 and a thimble 37 is held by the pins 3stand B4 in a position at the right-hand end of siiclnsleeve 32. Aeompressiiin spring' 258 is interposed between this shell 3G andthimble,

being located at theifi/casse vention to transmit such rotary movementto the nut 22 and thereby to the entire drive inleliidinp)` the pinion18 so as to relieve the latter 'from a eonditionet abuttingagainst theend oi the lyiif'heel teeth and permit of the.

registry of such teeth and the consequent meshing oi' the pinion andflywheel. its herein shown, the sleeve 32 is provided. at its left-handend with an inwardly directed.

llange Si) on whose outer 'tace there is provid ed a ring` ofprojections oi teeth 40 which are adapted to engage a similar ring ofprojections or teeth ll on the adjacent or right-hand end of the nut 2Q,wher-el y any partial rotation of the sleeve is transmitted to the nut22 and to the parts cooperating` therewith including' the pinion 1S.

Describing a cycle of operation oit the appaiatiis and beginning withtheir parts in their normal position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, when itis desired to crank and start the engine, the operator oscillates thelever 5 in a clockwise direction thereby shifting the sleeves 3l and 32,and consequently the entire drive assembly to the lett and bringing thepinion 18 into mesh with the flywheel.

llVlien full or substantially 'ull mesh ol' the pinion is obtained, theswitch is operated by the lever 5 and the motor is energized whereuponthe `shaft l will be rotated and the torque will be transmittedtherefrom by the drive to the flywheel through the sleeve 12, iiiit 2Q,friction clutch and pinion.-

ln the event that abut the flywheel teeth end to end, thereby arresting'the longitudinal movement o'l' the drive, the longitudinal movement otthe shilter sleeve 3l will continue bec-.inse ot the provision of the,yielding lost drive movement through the spring 23S and as the sleeveEll is connected with the sleeve li'tlirough the pin and inclined slotconnection described. and as the screw sleeve ll is now prevented fromrotation by the en atgeiiient of the pins 3ft and the longitudinal slotsli iii such screw sleeve, the sleeve 32 will not only be advancedlongitudinally' so as to bring the teeth Ll() and 41 into engagement,but the same will thereupon be slightl y rotated with the result thatthe nut 22 will be rotated by such eX- traneous means and will berotated to an the abutting condition likewise the pinion 1S and bring`about register between the pinion teeth and l v' wheel teeth whereuponthe spring 88 which had been compressed duringl this state of theoperation will 'liorce the entire drive assembly forward so that thepinion is in mesh with the flywheel gear. This result is accomplished bysuch registeriii,Y means as an incident to the pinion teeth shouldextent siil'ticient to break lOl) lll)

the operation of the means for shifting4 the drive longitudinally alongthe driving shaft 2.

When the engine st-arts on its own power. the operator should releasehis pressure on the lever 5, whereupon these shifting con-l nectionsthrough the medium of a spring' not shown will retract the entire drivevassembly including the shifter means combined therewith and return themto the normal position shown in Fig. l. lf the operator should fail ordelay to release such pressure on the operating connections, no harmwill be done to the drive or to the motory by the rapid or excessrotation of the pinion 18 by the engine, inasmuch as such excessrotation will cause the nut 22 to back off slightly andrelieve theclutching pressure between the clutch plates so that the pinion willrotate freely and without transmitting any of the torque from theengine.

I claim z l. An engine starter including a' rotatable drive shaft, andadrive mounted thereon and driven thereby including` a sleeve mounted onthe shaft for longitudinal movement thereof and rotary movementtherewith,.a driving member carried by said sleeve and adapted to beshifted longitudinally to engage a member of the engine o be started, acontrol member mountedK on the sleeve for longi tudinal movementthereofand rotary movement therewith, a torque transmitting connection betweenthedriving member andthe control member, means for longitudinallyshifting said drive, and means operating as an incident to the operationof the shifting Ameans for slightly rotating one of said members in theevent that the driving member should abut and not engage the enginemember.

2. An engine starter including a rotatable drive shaft, and a drivemounted thereon anddriven thereby. including a sleeve lmounted on the.shaft for longitudinal movement thereof and rotary movement therewith,a driving member carried by said sleeve and adapted to be shiftedlongitudinally to engage a memberI of the engine to be started, acontrol member mounted on the sleeve for longitudinal movement thereofand rotary movement therewith, a torque transmitting connection betweenthe driving member and the control member, means for slightly rotating,as an incident to the longitudinal movement of the drive, one of saidmembers in the event that the driving member should abut and not engagethe engine member, and means for holding the sleeve from rotation duringsuchV rotation of one of said members.

3. An engine starter including a. rotatable .drive shaft, and a. drivemounted thereon and driven thereby including a sleeve mount ed on theshaft for longitudinal movement thereof and rotary movement therewith,`a

driving member adapted to'be shifted longitudinally toengage a member ofthe engine to be started, a control member mountedy on the sleeve forlongitudinal movement thereof and rotary movement therewith, a torquetransmitting connection between the driving member-and the controlmember, and means acting on the control' member for slightly rotating itand consequently the driving member in the event that the drivingmembershould engage thev engine member.

4. An engine starter' including a rotatable drive shaft, and al drivemounted thereon and driven thereby including a sleeve vmounted on theshaft for longitudinal movement thereof and rotary movement therewith, adriving member carried by said sleeve and adapted to be shiftedlongitudinally to engage a member of the engine to be started, a controlmember mounted on the sleeve for longitudinal movement thereof androtary movement therewith, a torque transmitting connection between thedriving member and the contro]i member, and means comprising a` manna lyoperated element operably connected with the sleeve for normally.shifting it longitudinally and to partially rotate the driving membershould it abut and not v'engage the engine member.

5. An engine starter including a rotatable -drive shaft, anda drivemounted thereon and driven thereby including a sleeve mounted on theshaft for longitudinal movement thereof and rotary movement therewith, adrivin-g member carried by said sleeve and adapted to be shiftedlongitudinally to en# gage a member of the engine to be started, acontrol'member mounted on the sleeve for longitudinalmovement thereofand rotary movement therewith, a torque transmitting connection betweenthe driving member and the control member, and means comprising a secondsleeve operably connected with the first sleeve, a manually' operatedelement having a pin and inclined slot connection with the second sleeveand mounted for longitudinal n'iovenlent to longitudinally shift saidfirst sleeve, driving member, control member and clutch and adapted tocause by reason of said pin and slot connection slight rotary movementof said parts mounted on the first sleeve. f

6. An engine starter including a rotatable drive shaft,'anda drivemounted thereon and ,drivenrthereby including a sleeve mounted on `,.theshaft for longitudinal movement thereof andy rotary movement therewith,a 'driving membercarried by said sleeve and adapted to be shiftedlongitudinally to en* gage amember of the engine to be started, a*control .member longitudinal movement thereof and rotarymovementtherewith, a torque transmitting connection interposed betweenthe` driving carried by said sleeve and,

abut and not mounted on the sleeve for Uli member' and the controlmember', and means comprising a second sleeveoperably connected with thetirst sleeve, a manually operated third sleeve slidL ble on said shaftand having pin and inclined slot connection with the second sleevewhereby the latterA sleeve is slightly rotated by the stoppage oflongitudinal movement of the driving member and the continuedlongitudinal movement of the third sleeve.

7. An engine starter including a rotatable drive shaft, and a drivemounted thereon and driven thereby including' a sleeve mounted on theshaft for thereof and rotary movement therewith, a driving` membercarried by said sleeve and adapted to be shifted longitudinally toengage a member of the engine to be started, a control member mounted onthe sleeve for longitudinal movement thereof and rotary movement'therewith, a 'torque transmitting connection interposed between thedriving member and the control member, and means comprising a secondlsleeve operably connected with the tirst sleeve, a manually operatedthird sleeve slidable on said shaft and having pin andinclined slotconnection with the second sleeve whereby the latter sleeve slightlyrotated by the stoppage of longitudinal movement of the drivingl memberand the continued longitudinal movement ot' the third sleeve, andyieldingl means for holding the second and third sleeves in a normalrelative positioni 8. An vengine starter including a rotatable driveshaft, and a drive mounted thereon and driven thereby including a sleevemounted on the shaft for loi'ieitudinal movement thereof and rotarymovement therewith, a driving member carried by said sleeve and adaptedto be shifted longitudinally to engage a member ot" the engine to bestarted, a control meinber mounted ou the sleeve for lotigitudiualmovement thereof and rotary luoven'ieut, therewith, a torquetransmitting connection interposed between the driving` member and thecontrol member, and means comprising;C a second sleeve operablyconnected with the first sleeve, a manually operated third sleeveslidable on said yshaft and having piu and inclined slot connection withthe second `sleeve whereby the latter sleeve slightly rotated by thestoppage of longitudinal movement of the driving;y member and thecontinued longitudinal movement of the third sleeve. said second andthird sleeves beingr adapted to telescope one into the other, andyielding means for holding` such second and third sleeves in a normalrelative position longitudinally and rotarily.

t). An engine starter including` a rotatable drive shaft, and a drivemounted thereon and driven thereby including asleeve mounted on theshaft for longitudinal movement thereof and rotary movementV therewith,a

longitudinal movement'A arenoso driving `member carried by said sleeveand adapted to be shifted longitudinally to engage a member of theengine-to be started, a control member mounted on the sleeve vforlongitudinal movement thereof and rotary movement therewith, a torquetransmitting connection between the driving member and the controlmember, and means comprising; a second sleeve operably connectedwith'the tirst sleeve and adapted to engage the control meinber forrotary movement, and a manually operated third sleeve mounted forlonleitudinal movement on said shaft and operably connected with thesecond sleeve for shifting; it longitudinally and for rotating it in theevent of stoppage of longitudinal movement of said control member. i

ttl. An cucine starter including` drive shaft, and a drive mountedthereon and driven thereby including` a sleeve mounted on the shaft forloi'igitudinal movement thereof and rotary movement therewith, adriving1 member carried by said sleeve and adapted to he shiftedlongitudinally to en gage a member of the engine to be started, acontrol member mounted on the sleeve for longitudinalmovement thereofand rotary movement therewith, a torque transmitting` connectioninterposed between the driving member and the control member and adaptedto be clamped by the latter against-the drivingr member for thetransmission of torque `from the shaft and sleeve to the driving member,and means comprising,` a second sleeve mounted to slide on the tirstsleeve and operably connected therewith and adapted to cngage thecontrol member for rotary movement, and a manually operated third sleeveoperably connected withithe second sleeve by pin and inclined slotconnection for lon- ;itudinal movement of such second sleeve' and forpartial rotary mmement thereof wl en the longitudinal movement ot' thedriv inc; member is arrested.

l1. [tu engine starter including' a rotatable drive shaft` a driveincluding` a sleeve splined ou the shaft', a pinion mounted on one endof said sleeve, said sleeve being adapted to be shifted loiuritudinallyto bring;` the pinion into mesh with a member o' the engine to bestarted, a nut threaded on the sleeve, a. torque transmitting connectionintcrposed between the pinion and nut, and means for slightly rotatingthe nut in the event that the pinion and engine member should abut andnot mesh.

12. An engine starter including a rotatable drive shaft', a driveincluding, a sleeve s'plined on the shaft, a pinion mounted on one endof said sleeve, said sleeve beingy adapted to be shifted longitudinallyto bring` the pinion into mesh with a member of the engine to bestarted, a nut threaded on the sleeve, a torque transmitting connectioninterposed between the pinion and nut, and manually operated l arotatable ltlt) llt) mechanism for shifting thesleeve longitudinallyincluding means for slightly rotating the nut in the event that suchlongitudinal shifting of the pinion is arrested.

torque transmitting connection between thel pinion and nut, and twomanually operated longitudinally movable sleeves one of which isoperably connected with the firstsleeve and is adapted for slight rotarymovement asan incident tothe stoppage of its longitudinal movement andthe continuedl longitudinal movement of its -companion sleeve. y

A14. An engine starter including a rotatable .drive shaft, a driveincluding a sleeve splined on the shaft, a pinion mounted on one end ofsaid sleeve, said sleeve being adapted 'to be shifted longitudinally tobring the.pin ion into mesh with a member of the engine to be started, anut threaded on the sleeve, a torque transmitting connection interposedvbetween the pinion and nut, and means for slightly rotating the nut inthe event that the pinion and engine member should abut and not mesh,said means comprising a second sleeve operably connected with the firstsleeve, and a third sleeve which is manually operable and connected withthe second sleeve by pin and inclined slot connection.

15. An engine starter including a rotatable drive shaft, a driveincluding a sleeve splined on the shaft, a'pinion mounted on one end ofsaid sleeve, said sleeve being adapted to be shifted longitudinally tobring the pinion into mesh wit-h a member of the engine to be started, anut threaded on the sleeve, a torque transmitting connection interposedbetween the pinion and nut, and' means for slightly rotating the nut inthe event that the pinion and engine member should abut and not mesh,said means comprising-a second sleeve operably connected with the firstsleeve, and a third sleeve which is manually operable and connected withthe second sleeve by pin and inclined slot connection, and a spring forholding the second and third sleeves in a normal relative position.

16.n engine starter including a retable drive shaft, a drive including asleeve splined on the shaft, a pinion mounted on one end of said sleeve,said sleeve being adapted to be shifted longitudinally to bring thepinion into mesh with a member of the engine to be started, anutthreaded on the sleeve, a torque transmitting connection' interposedbetween the pinion andl nut, and means for slightly rotating the nut inthe event that the pinion and engine member should abut and not mesh,lsaid means comprising a second sleeve operably connected with the firstsleeve, and a third sleeve which is manually operable and connected withthe second sleeve by pin and inclined slot connection, said pin vbeingcarried by the third sleeve and the slot being in the second sleeve, aspring retainer connected with the second sleeve, a thimble connectedw-ith said pin, and a spring arranged between said retainer and thimbleto hold the second and third sleeves in a normal relative position. 4

17. An engine starter including a rotatable drive shaft, a driveincluding a sleeve splined t on the shaft, a pinion mounted on one endof said sleeve, said sleeve being adapted to be shifted longitudinallyto bring the pinion into mesh with a member of the engine to be started,a nut threaded on the sleeve, a torque transmitting connectioninterposed between the pinion' and nut, and means for slightly rotatingthe nut in the event that the pinion and engine member should abut andnot mesh, said means comprising a second sleeve operably connected withthe first sleeve, and a third sleeve which is manually operable andconnected with the second sleeve by pin and inclined slot connection,said nut being in the path of longitudinal movement of the second sleeveand adapted to be engaged and partially rotated by the l'atter.

18. An engine starter including a rotat able drive shaft, a driveincluding a sleeve splined on the shaft, a pinion mounted on one end ofsaidsleeve, said slee/vebeingadapted to be shifted longitudinally tobring the pinion into mesh with a member of the engine to be started, anut threaded on the sleeve, a

Vable and connected with the second sleeve by pin and inclined slotconnect-ion, said nut being in the pat-h of longitudinal movement of thesecond sleeve, the adjacent faces of the nut and second sleeve havingteeth.

19. An engine starter including a rotatable drive shaft, and a drivemounted thereon and e driven thereby including a sleeve mounted on theshaft for longitudinal movement thereof and rotary movement therewith, adriving ineinber carried by said sleeve and adaptedto be shiftedlongitudinally to engage a member of the engine to be started, a controlmember mounted on the sleeve for longitudinal movement thereof androtary movement therewith, a torque transmitting connection interposedbetween the driving member and I the control'member. and meanscomprising' a second sleeve operably connected with the first sleeve, amanually operated third sleeve slidable on said shaft and having pin andinclined slot connection with the seeonil sleeve and having pin andstraight slot connection With the lirst sleeve, whereby the second isslightly rotated by the stoppage of longitudinal movement oit thedriving member and the continued longitudinal movement of the thirdsleeve and the lirst sleeve is helol from rotation during this time, andyielding means for holding the second and third sleeves in u normalrelative position. 10

lin testimony whereof, l have subscribed my name.

Wi'LLiAM L. Mcemfrn.

